After a bit of a break, work has continued on the site of the old church.  The ground has been prepared for grass seeding and we are waiting for the grave stones that were moved for protection to be     replaced.  It is now possible to see more clearly what the state of the site will be when it is handed over ready for the next stage.  I would very much like for the community to get involved with ideas and   helping with the work.

One of the jobs to be done is to clear the path that leads down the steps to Aberford Road.  I would like to invite anyone who would like to help to come on Saturday 18th October to help.  Please bring your own tools if you can.  We will start at 10am and if enough people come, it will not take too long.  On the down side, it looks like some of the stones that have been left for building the legacy of the old church have been stolen.  I would ask people to look out for this and report any suspicious activities to the police.

We are moving forward with the plans for building a suitable place for the war memorial and peace garden.  These will be on display when we have our next consultation during the week beginning 17th November, in the Church Centre.  On Friday 21st there will be people available to talk to and ask questions. We have had some great ideas so far.  One of the graves that will be restored is of a local engineer called Bartholomew.  His story is well known in Goole but is little known in his home town, Stanley.  We would like to have something that tells his story.  There may be other stories from the past to record and I would like to hear your ideas.

This is also the time of year when we celebrate harvest.  We can stop and think about the good gifts that come from the earth, our     gratitude to God and to those who work the land.  We would like to invite you to join in these celebrations.  There will be a Ceilidh on    Saturday October 11th at St Peter’s School, with the usual live band (please ring 835746 for tickets).  There will be a special service on Sunday morning at 10am and on Tuesday October 14th a harvest lunch open to all in the village but especially aimed at the more mature   members of the community to come and join us.

Rev Bill Henderson